Postdoctoral Associate Position in LGBTQ Youth Mental Health

Dr. Kirsty Clark, Assistant Professor of Medicine, Health, and Society at Vanderbilt University, Associate Director of the Vanderbilt LGBTQ Policy Lab, and Faculty Affiliate of the Vanderbilt Center for Research on Inequality and Health is seeking applications for a postdoctoral associate in the area of LGBTQ youth mental health to begin in Summer 2025. A PhD in public health, psychology, epidemiology, human development and family sciences, social and behavioral sciences, or a related field is required by the time of the position. The ideal candidate has strong experience conducting quantitative mental health research (e.g., using Stata, SPSS, SAS, or R) as well as research coordination and project management experience.

The postdoctoral associate will work primarily with Dr. Kirsty Clark on research focused on LGBTQ youth mental health, with a specific focus on suicide risk and prevention. Research studies involve innovative methods including but not limited to: ecological momentary assessment, parent-child dyad prospective cohort studies, measurement development, community-engaged research methods, and intervention development. The postdoctoral research associate would have the opportunity to analyze several sources of data (qualitative and quantitative) including primary data collected from Dr. Clark's previous studies. The postdoctoral associate will also contribute to the collection of new data from LGBTQ youth and families.

Primary responsibilities include: 1) study coordination and oversight, data management and analysis, and supervision of research staff for a new NIMH R01 on LGBTQ preteen suicide risk; 2) analyzing data and leading and co-authoring manuscripts for peer-reviewed publication with collaborators at Vanderbilt as well as external collaborators; 3) assisting with NIH-grant writing and submissions; and 4) disseminating research findings at national conferences.

Depending on interest and professional development goals, the postdoctoral associate will also have opportunities to guest lecture in courses related to LGBTQ health and network with campus and community leaders on LGBTQ health equity, mental health, and policy. 

 The administrative home of this postdoctoral appointment will be in Vanderbilt’s Department of Medicine, Health & Society, a multidisciplinary department that brings together faculty from across the social sciences, arts and humanities, health sciences to investigate  cultural, economic, demographic, and biological factors that impact health.

The postdoctoral trainee will be situated within the Vanderbilt LGBTQ Policy Lab (where Dr. Kirsty Clark serves as Associate Director) which is located in the center of Vanderbilt’s campus in Buttrick Hall. The LGBTQ Policy Lab is an institution unique to Vanderbilt University that brings together a multi-disciplinary group of scholars to study the causes and consequences of policies targeting or affecting LGBTQ people in the US. Since 2017, the LGBTQ Policy Lab has grown to become key site of research advancement and research training in the LGBTQ health and policy space. In 2024, the Lab was received the National Institutes of Health Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Access Prize for exemplary leadership in DEIA training in health research. Our faculty’s research has been published in high-impact journals such as JAMA Pediatrics, LGBT Health, Social Science and Medicine, Clinical Psychological Science and The New England Journal of Medicine. The LGBTQ Policy Lab holds a weekly lunch seminar involving faculty, postdocs, students, and trainees where Vanderbilt and external researchers from across disciplines present on ongoing projects focused on LGBTQ health and policy research.

The Vanderbilt LGBTQ Policy Lab shares space with the Vanderbilt Center for Research on Inequality and Health. This center brings together Vanderbilt’s multidisciplinary expertise across a range of topics spanning inequality and health, including LGBTQ health, firearm violence, and social and economic inequality and health. This postdoctoral associate role is funded through the NIH with supplemental funding from the Vanderbilt Center for Research on Inequality and Health.

The postdoctoral associate role will begin 7/1/2025 (negotiable), with an initial end date of 6/30/2026, and a one-year renewal for the 2026-2027 academic year pending successful evaluation of year 1 performance. The preference is for candidates to be able to spend two academic years in residence at Vanderbilt. This is an in-person role based in Nashville, Tennessee. The postdoc will be expected to work in-person at least 3 days per week. Each position carries a twelve-month salary of $72,500, office space, health insurance, and eligibility for other benefits (see https://www.vanderbilt.edu/postdoc/faqs/). This full-time and in-residence position requires a physical presence in Nashville for the term of the fellowship.

Applicants should provide a cover letter describing interest in the position and future research plans, CV, a research paper or writing sample, and three letters of recommendations at: http://apply.interfolio.com/154523. Applications will be reviewed immediately and until the positions are filled. Apply by December 15, 2024, for full consideration.